1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device, such as a digital camera, a digital video camera, or a mobile phone with a digital camera, and a method for switching a mode of the imaging device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In imaging devices, such as digital cameras, digital video cameras, or mobile phones with digital cameras, an image of an object is formed on an imaging element via a shooting lens and is subjected to photoelectric conversion and digitization. The imaging device has a function of taking still images and moving images so that the still images or the moving images can be easily taken by mode switching.
If still-image shooting or moving-image shooting is set by a mode setting by selecting a switch, it is inevitable that photo opportunities will be lost. Therefore, an imaging device is known that simultaneously performs still-image shooting and moving-image shooting (for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-057378). However, because the amount of image data is huge during simultaneous shooting of still images and moving images, it is troublesome to organize images. Therefore, generally, still-image shooting or moving-image shooting is performed after setting a still-image or moving-image mode by performing mode switching using a switch.
Not only switching between the shooting modes of still images and moving images but also switching between the shooting modes of still images and continuous shooting is performed. Furthermore, the shooting mode is switched to a reproduction mode so that shot images are reproduced on a liquid crystal display in the reproduction mode. Moreover, switching to zoom shooting is performed so that expanded or wide-angle still images or moving images are taken.
In a recent imaging device, it is possible to set a number of shooting modes in consideration of an object, a shooting environment, or the like. For example, shooting modes for portrait shooting (suitable for shooting a person), night view (suitable for shooting a night view such as illuminated buildings), snapshot (suitable for shooting people with a landscape), landscape (suitable for shooting landscape at a long distance), beach/snow (suitable for shooting the seaside or snowcapped mountains), party shot (suitable for indoor shooting with strobe light reaching a long distance), or the like, are prepared in a menu mode, and it is possible to switch from a program auto as a default setting to any of these shooting modes.
Determination of exposure is a major shooting factor for taking clear pictures. For example, a strobe emits light if the exposure cannot be sufficiently obtained with natural light and, during shooting of a night view, exposure adjustment is performed such that the exposure time is changed for prolonged exposure. For the control of the strobe, the strobe auto is set as a default setting to switch emission in accordance with brightness and, if the strobe is caused to forcibly emit light independently of the exposure with natural light or the strobe emission is prohibited, the photographer changes the setting to switch from the strobe auto as the default setting to the strobe ON or the strobe OFF. For example, in facilities such as museums or galleries, where shooting with a strobe is prohibited although shooting is allowed, it is necessary to set the forced OFF (the strobe OFF) of the strobe. Furthermore, the strobe OFF is set for continuous shooting or moving images.
As described above, for shooting with the imaging device, it is necessary to perform a mode switching operation for switching among shooting modes for still images, moving images, and continuous shooting, switching from the shooting mode to the reproduction mode, switching from the program auto to the portrait shooting, or the like, switching from the strobe auto to the strobe ON or the strobe OFF, or the like. Usually, mode switching is performed by operating a switch, a touch panel, or the like, located on the outer covering of the imaging device.
In an imaging device, most switches (changeover switches) for mode switching as well as a release switch are located on the right side of the imaging device. Specifically, a general layout is such that the release switch is located on the right side of the upper surface of the imaging device, a liquid crystal display is located on the left side of the back surface of the imaging device, and most changeover switches are located on the right side of the back surface.
The imaging device is held by the left hand and a changeover switch is operated by the right hand so that the mode is switched.
In the case of one-handed operation, a changeover switch is operated by the right hand while the imaging device is held by the right hand. During the one-handed operation, for example, the index finger of the right hand remains on the upper surface of the imaging device, the front surface of the imaging device is held with the third finger, the fourth finger, and the fifth finger, and the back surface is held with the thumb and the palm, whereby the imaging device is held such that the front and the back surfaces are sandwiched between the third finger, the fourth finger, the fifth finger, and the thumb. Thus, if the changeover switch is operated with the thumb, the holding force from the back surface is decreased and the imaging device is held unstably. Furthermore, if the changeover switch on the back surface is operated with the index finger that remains on the upper surface of the imaging device, the imaging device is held unstably because the operation has to be performed with impractical finger arrangement and, because the index finger is removed from the release switch, it is difficult to promptly perform shooting and a photo opportunity can be lost.
In practice, it is not easy to operate the changeover switch by the right hand while holding the imaging device by the right hand and one-handed operation is hardly performed; therefore, two-handed operation is generally performed to operate the changeover switch by the right hand while holding the imaging device by the left hand.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-236883 discloses an imaging device in which mode switching can be performed while the imaging device is held by one hand, wherein a shooting mode and a reproduction mode can be switched while in a shooting position. Specifically, the configuration is such that the imaging device incorporates a shooting-position detection sensor so that the shooting mode is set if it is in the horizontal shooting position (if the imaging device is held horizontally) and the reproduction mode is set if it is in the vertical shooting position (if the imaging device is held vertically).
Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-236883 also discloses a configuration in which the shooting mode is set if it is in the horizontal shooting position and the reproduction mode is set if it returns to the horizontal shooting position within a predetermined time after it is in the vertical shooting position.
With the configuration disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-236883, the shooting mode and the reproduction mode can be switched while the imaging device is held by one hand without operating a switch, whereby mode switching can be performed by the one-handed operation. However, a display unit such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) located on the back surface of the imaging device usually has a landscape-oriented screen and, if the imaging device is held vertically, the display screen is portrait-oriented. Therefore, in a configuration where the reproduction mode is set if the imaging device is held horizontally, a landscape-oriented shot image that is taken by the horizontally held imaging device is reproduced on the portrait-oriented liquid crystal display, which results in a display that is difficult and uncomfortable to view.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging device that allows mode switching by one-handed operation with a technical idea that is different from a publicly known technical idea that allows switching between the shooting mode and the reproduction mode by changing the shooting position.
Specifically, it is an object to provide an imaging device that can definitely perform a switching operation corresponding to various scenes by using in combination an operation with a definite intention, such as a user's intentional tap operation for applying acceleration with a high frequency, and various operations such as the motion (for example, shake) of a device.